Comparative Analysis of the Soluble Proteome and the Cytolytic Activity of Unbleached and Bleached <i>Millepora complanata</i> (“Fire Coral”) from the Mexican Caribbean
Víctor Hugo Hernández-Elizárraga,
Norma Olguín-López,
Rosalina Hernández-Matehuala,
Andrea Ocharán-Mercado,
Andrés Cruz-Hernández,
Ramón Gerardo Guevara-González,
Juan Caballero-Pérez,
César Ibarra-Alvarado,
Judith Sánchez-Rodríguez,
Alejandra Rojas-Molina
Affiliations
Víctor Hugo Hernández-Elizárraga
Posgrado en Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Cerro de las Campanas S/N, C.P. 76010 Querétaro, Querétaro, México
Norma Olguín-López
Posgrado en Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Cerro de las Campanas S/N, C.P. 76010 Querétaro, Querétaro, México
Rosalina Hernández-Matehuala
Posgrado en Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Cerro de las Campanas S/N, C.P. 76010 Querétaro, Querétaro, México
Andrea Ocharán-Mercado
Laboratorio de Investigación Química y Farmacológica de Productos Naturales, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Cerro de las Campanas S/N, C.P. 76010 Querétaro, Querétaro, México
Andrés Cruz-Hernández
Laboratorio de Biología Molecular. Escuela de Agronomía, Universidad de La Salle Bajío, Av. Universidad 15 602, Colonia Lomas del Campestre, C.P. 37150 León, Guanajuato, México
Ramón Gerardo Guevara-González
C.A Ingeniería de Biosistemas, Facultad de Ingeniería-Campus Amazcala, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Carr. Chichimequillas-Amazcala Km. 1, S/N, C.P. 76265 Amazcala, El Marqués, Querétaro, México
Juan Caballero-Pérez
Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Cerro de las Campanas S/N, C.P. 76010 Querétaro, Querétaro, México
César Ibarra-Alvarado
Laboratorio de Investigación Química y Farmacológica de Productos Naturales, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Cerro de las Campanas S/N, C.P. 76010 Querétaro, Querétaro, México
Judith Sánchez-Rodríguez
Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales Puerto Morelos, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Prolongación Niños Héroes S/N, Puerto Morelos, C.P. 77580 Quintana Roo, México
Alejandra Rojas-Molina
Laboratorio de Investigación Química y Farmacológica de Productos Naturales, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Cerro de las Campanas S/N, C.P. 76010 Querétaro, Querétaro, México
Coral bleaching caused by global warming has resulted in massive damage to coral reefs worldwide. Studies addressing the consequences of elevated temperature have focused on organisms of the class Anthozoa, and up to now, there is little information regarding the mechanisms by which reef forming Hydrozoans face thermal stress. In this study, we carried out a comparative analysis of the soluble proteome and the cytolytic activity of unbleached and bleached Millepora complanata (“fire coral”) that inhabited reef colonies exposed to the 2015−2016 El Niño-Southern Oscillation in the Mexican Caribbean. A differential proteomic response involving proteins implicated in key cellular processes, such as glycolysis, DNA repair, stress response, calcium homeostasis, exocytosis, and cytoskeleton organization was found in bleached hydrocorals. Four of the proteins, whose levels increased in bleached specimens, displayed sequence similarity to a phospholipase A2, an astacin-like metalloprotease, and two pore forming toxins. However, a protein, which displayed sequence similarity to a calcium-independent phospholipase A2, showed lower levels in bleached cnidarians. Accordingly, the hemolytic effect of the soluble proteome of bleached hydrocorals was significantly higher, whereas the phospholipase A2 activity was significantly reduced. Our results suggest that bleached M. complanata is capable of increasing its toxins production in order to balance the lack of nutrients supplied by its symbionts.
